Bruce and Denise Morcombe honoured in Queen's Birthday honours list

The parents of murdered Queensland teenager Daniel Morcombe say they are proud their child protection work has been recognised in today's Queen's Birthday honours list.

Bruce and Denise Morcombe have been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.

They are the parents of 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe, who was abducted from Queensland's Sunshine Coast in 2003.

In 2011, DNA tests confirmed bones found in the area were Daniel's.

Since 2005, the Morcombes have fought to .

The foundation also aims to assist victims of crime, particularly children.

Mr Morcombe says he and his wife Denise are trying to take their safety messages to as many Australian schools as they can.

"The difference that we bring to the table - as opposed to a police officer of a teacher or a principal talking to kids about safety - is we link Daniel's very real story with those safety messages," he said.

"No longer do kids sit there thinking 'this is boring, this will never happen to me, I'm not interested'.

"They're saying 'hey, tell me more - this is fascinating, I need to equip myself with the skills to stay safe'."

He says they hope to continue safety workshops in schools for a long time to come.

"We still have the passion, we still have the endeavour and drive, and many many people say 'keep up the good work', so we'll keep going until someone says 'we've seen enough of you, goodbye'," he said.

Indigenous service honour

Meanwhile, Australia's first Indigenous police officer, former police inspector Colin Dillon, made the list for service to Queensland's Indigenous community.

He also served as an ATSIC commissioner, with a focus on reducing Indigenous deaths in custody and reduce Aboriginal incarceration rates.

"There are still too many in prison today so I think there still needs to be a concerted effort," he said.

Mr Dillon says racism was entrenched in the police service when joined in 1965.

"It was made known to me right at the very outset that there was no place for Aboriginal police in the police force, so that's what I was up against," he said.

"I had to sort of hang in there and battle my way and finally make it through to the end of my career some 36 years later on."

He says he is proud he helped to break down barriers.

"Initially I never thought of that but once I got into the upper levels of the service and I reflected and looked back, I thought, 'well yes, I have blazed a trail and opened a door for others to come into the service'," he said.

"Going from one lonely one, to seeing all the numbers building up over the years, and the numbers that we have today, that's an achievement that I'm very happy about."

Nepal villages charity

A Brisbane couple have also been honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia for their work to support poverty-stricken villages in Nepal.

Rod and Deb Setterlund help to run the Brisbane-based Nepal Australia Friendship Association.

Mr Setterlund says it raises about $120,000 each year for a range of projects.

"Our priority is rural, particularly trying to help women and children," he said.

"For instance installing toilets at a school will help girls' attendance at schools.

"Money goes a lot further there than here, so we can build a classroom for $5,000, a health clinic for $15,000, $20,000.

"We sponsor two teachers, three health workers."

"We might replace classrooms, we put water taps into a village."

Red Cross work

The Brisbane chairman of the international committee that oversees the Red Cross, Greg Vickery, is also among the Queenslanders to receive honours today.

Mr Vickery has worked with the Red Cross for more than 40 years and is now chairman of its international Standing Commission.

He says there has been many highlights.

"Just seeing so many people do amazing humanitarian work," he said.

'Power house' Darling Downs

Former Nationals leader Mike Horan has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for service to the Darling Downs and Queensland's Parliament.

He also served as the Member for Toowoomba South from 1991 to 2012, having been Opposition leader and health minister.

"I've got a lot of fond memories of my years in Parliament - colleagues on both sides of the Parliament," he said.

Mr Horan remains passionate about the Darling Downs region.

"I think the Darling Downs is going to become one of the power houses of Australia," he said.

"It could well end up being the Singapore of eastern Australia in terms of logistics for rail, a new airport proposed, for heavy transport areas, and linked up of course not only with agriculture but with the mining developments to our west."

Mr Horan says he is pleased he can still contribute to the community as chairman of the local health board.

"We have some big demands, particularly through the Surat basin but also in Toowoomba and other areas, where we are seeing population growth," he said.

"We're seeing ever increasing demands for more health services and it's an honour and a privilege to be involved where I can hopefully make a difference."

Olympian Ron Clarke recognised

Former Gold Coast mayor and Olympian Ron Clarke has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.

He has been honoured for his work in local government, philanthropy, and promoting athletics.

Mr Clarke says he thought "why me" when appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.

He says the discipline he learned as an athlete served him well in leadership positions later in life.

"If you don't train, you don't get anywhere, so therefore if you don't work at a problem, if you don't work at a project, if you don't work at it - you won't succeed,' he said.

"Flukes happen, but very rarely - you really have to put the hard work in."

Mr Clarke says his family inspired him to devote time to the community.

"My father - way back - used to organise all sorts of functions for charity and for unions for gosh-knows-what - he was always organising something, a picnic somewhere for something - so I suppose we've always been a part of the community," he said.

"All my life I've looked forward to waking up because I've had something to do that day."

Rural doctors

The director of Medical Services at Cairns Base Hospital, Dr Patrick O'Neill, says he is proud to have been able to attract more young doctors to the state's far north.

Dr O'Neill has received a Queen's Birthday honours award for service to his fellow citizens.

He says there has been an increase in the number of junior doctors in Mareeba, Atherton and Innisfail over the past couple of years.

"Whether these doctors take up a career in rural medicine - it would be fantastic if they do that as a result of the experience that they get," he said.

"Even if they become a neurosurgeon, the fact that they have an understanding of what it's like to work in the bush in a remote rural community - I think that's really of a lot of value."

Church services

Townsville Catholic Bishop Michael Putney has been recognised with a Member of the Order of Australia for 50 years' work in the church and services to the north Queensland community.

"I'd have to say Townsville's my life, my love - this is the diocese here and the people here and there's no one or no thing in my life is more important than the community here," he said.

He says he has strived to build strong ties between the different faiths.

"Even in Townsville where representatives of the other world religions are not here in the big numbers they are in the capital cities, I think we've got nice relationships," he said.

Meanwhile, Vascular surgeon Peter Woodruff has been recognised for service to medicine and Sunshine Coast resident Norm Innis was honoured on the list for service to surfing.